Asia – emerging market for Vietnamese shrimp exports

HCM City (VNA) – The Vietnam
Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) held a seminar on world
shrimp demand and Vietnam’s supply capacity in Ho Chi Minh City on August 29.

At the function, Carson Blake Roper, an
expert on the EU market, cited a UN report on global urbanisation prospects as
saying most of the world’s densely populated countries will be in Asia, which
is expected to see a rapid expansion of the middle class and free trade
agreements.

The region will also have higher demand for
high-protein food, including shrimp and fish, he added.

Le Van Quang, head of Minh Phu Group boards
of directors, forecast shrimp consumption in Asia to surge, particularly in
China, despite its shrimp productivity having shrunk.

According to VASEP statistics, in the first seven
months of this year, Vietnamese shrimp exports to China, Japan and the Republic
of Korea respectively increased 40, 35.2 and 27.4 percent from the same period
last year.

Experts said Vietnamese exporters need
specific strategies for each market.

Roper advised these firms to build supply
chains and refrigeration systems in Asian target markets, adding that improved
infrastructure will help boost their competitiveness.-VNA